Game apparatus



Jan. 18, 1927. 15,071

B. GOULDIN GAME APPARATUS Filed August 29, 1925 4/4 Q Ll 1F U '0 "1 m j L l5 l'm'lnplzc lcalaa @152] INVENTOR Patented Jan. 18, 1927.

UNITED STATES BENJAMIN GOU'LDIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GAME APPARATUS.

Application filed August 29, 1925. Serial No. 53,410.

This invention relates to amusement devices and particularly to games arranged to be played with a plurality of blocks on a checkered field.

Among the objects of this invention is to provide a game having a checkered field or the like wherein the players will exercise their ingenuity with respect to certain squares or spaces that are distinguished from the rest of the field, to the end that the player who is last to complete the encircle ment of any square or space shall score in accordance with the number or other indicia indicated therein.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and while the invention is not restricted to the exact details of construction disclosed or suggested herein, still for the purpose of illustrating a practical embodiment thereof reference is had to the acon'lpanying drawings in which like reference characters designate the same parts in the several views, and in whicl1 Figure 1 is a view of my game board.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of blocks used therewith Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating a variation in adaptation of the blocks for playing other games.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, I show my invention as comprising a game board 10 which is of any suitable size or form, and is provided with a margin 11 along the edge thereof, within which is a checkered field 12. The field is arranged to co-operate in connection with movable members or blocks 13 in any manner desired within the scope of this invent-ion, but preferably said field is divided into a plurality of regular polygons such as the squares 14 which are enclosed by parallel oblongs 15 upon the pairs of opposite sides thereof, and by parallel oblongs 16 which extend at right angles to the aforesaid oblongs at the remaining sides of said squares. More particularly it will be observed that one of the diagonals of each of the oblongs l5 lies on a line parallel to an edge of the board, While similar diagonals of the oblongs 16 extend in parallel relation to an adjacent edge of the board. Thus it will be seen that each of the squares 14 is wholly enclosed by the oblongs.

The oblongs or auxiliary spaces are disposed in rows and provide a uniform field within which the squares are located. The oblongs 15 are preferably colored red, while the oblongs 16 are colored blue, though any other colors or devices can be employed to distinguish the various oblongs from each other. Moreover each oblong has a mark or designation to distinguish it from the other oblongs, said mark serving however to identify said oblong with a particular block combinations have been formed of one letter and one number.

Similarly the oblongs 16 in the remaining rows are designated in order 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D for one row, and 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, for the next row and so on through the remaining combinations of one number and one letter, the number being placed before the letter.

In the usual manner of playing the game, each player will receive a predetermined number of blocks, and each will in turn deposit a block upon an oblong as may be desired. Ultimately the field fills up with the blocks, and the player who then succeeds in completing the encirclement of a square 14: scores in accordance with the designation on such square, as for instance (it or 4 or 56 or 20, and so on. A recordis kept, and the player who has the highest total has won the game. As a specific illustration, let it be assumed that blocks have been deposited on oblongs A and 1A. It will be to the interest of the one making the next move not to deposit block 1 or A1, since that would give his opponent the opportunity of completing the square and winning 64. However, as the field fills up, opportunities are presented and made by the strategy of the observant player, of completing different squares and scoring accordingly.

To add to the interest and complexity of the game, suitable legends are placed in the four marginal portions 11 which have reference to an oblon at a side of a square or master space, which side is nearest to the marginal portion containing the particular legend or reference, and whereby the game may be modified in any desirable manner. More specifically, the left and right margins bears the characters 1/4 and 3/4 respectively, while the upper and lower margins bear 4/4 and 2/4 respectively. If new the player completes a square about 64 by de positing a block designated by 1, he will score 1/4 of 64 or 16; but if he is enabled by the particular positioning of the blocks about the master space to complete the encirclement by block A1, he will score 2/4 of 64 or 32. And similarly 48 for the oblong 1A and 64 for the oblong or auxiliary space A. It will consequently be to the advantage of a player so to arrange his block as to score by means of blocks A, B, C, I), for squares 64, 4, 56 and 8, and A1, B1, C1, D1, for squares 20, 48, 28, and 40, and so on.

This game will prove of interest to play ers of varying age and circun'istance, and is particularly adapted for the use of minors whose knowledge of arithmetic will be improved thereby.

As suggested in Fig. 3 the blocks, because of their peculiarly arranged indicia, are adapted for the playing of games, somewhat in the nature of dominoes, but with the important difference that in order to match one block or game piece with the last one already laid, it cannot be turned upsid down as may be done with dominoes. More specifically, the blocks are laid end to end, so that the one last laid shall mate, letter for letter, or figure for figure, with the final letter 0r figure of the last preceding block. The blocks having single letters or numerals are treated as the doubles of dominoes and may be built upon in three directions instead of only one. Thus the game, while in the nature of dominoes, is somewhat more complicated and exacting for the reason that each block is so constructed or designed as to read only one way.

I claim:

1. In a game, the combination of a field having a plurality of master spaces about which are provided other spaces surrounding said master spaces, said other spaces having suitable designations, and a plurality of blocks having indications according to said designations whereby each block is identified with one of the designated spaces, said master spaces having indications to determine the result of the game, whereby the player who succeeds in encircling a master space scores in accordance with the indication therein.

2. A game as set forth in claim 1 wherein different legends are provided referring to the spaces about said master spaces, and having reference to the indications within said master spaces so that a player who completes the encirclement of a master space will score such portion of the value of the indication in said master space depending on the particular legend referred to in accordance with the space about said master space at which the encirclement is completed.

3. In a game, the combination of a field having a plurality of master spaces and auxiliary spaces positioned to surround the same, and means including a plurality of blocks, indications being provided identifying individually the auxiliary spaces Witll the blocks, each of the master spaces having an indication, that player scoring who performs a predetermined step in the encirclement of any one of said master spaces and in accordance with the designation in the master space.

4. A game as in claim 3 wherein different legends are provided so as to modify the indication in the master space according to the particular auxiliary space at which the player performs the step referred to and to which auxiliary space the particular leg-end refers.

In testimony whereof I alfix my signature.

BENJAMIN GOULDIN. 

